All modesty shot out the window, I started my day late with a message from my editor that I’d won an American Food Journalism (AFJ) Award. My Seattle Weekly column, “Search & Distill,” is up for best newspaper column alongside:

Leah Eskin, Home on the Range in the Chicago Tribune
Jason Wilson, spirits columnist for The Washington Post

I’m just now digging Leah’s column; I don’t keep up with my hometown as much as I should. But I’ve been a fan of Jason’s column for a while. Check it out. I’m hoping to rope him into a cocktail-off when he’s in town next month. I’m very flattered to be mentioned alongside both of these writers.

Who wins, places, and shows will be announced at the AFJ conference in Houston in October. I don’t know what that process involves, but I’m sure it’s far less ugly and mud slingy than the dem fight right now.

I’m not gonna be shy, this is a big deal for me. The Seattle Weekly (and Laura Cassidy) took a chance on me, when I was just a drunk, angry wine blogger. I will forever be loyal to SW as long as I live and can drink, and write about it. Besides, I’m an instigator, not a fighter.

When I officially took over the strip next to the food review (I’m now on the next page), the Seattle Weekly even asked me if I’d like to rename it, hence the rip off of the famous punk magazine, Search & Destroy. But I think that the title fits my mission. Nothing alcoholic is so precious or complicated that it can’t be distilled down to 600 words or less. (Yeah, I’m talking about you wine.)

But my ace in the hole is definitely Jonathan Kauffman, my editor and also one of the country’s finest food critics. I’ve learned so much from working with him on a regular basis, and we share a magnetic attraction to taco buses. Sometimes I get to go on reviews with him. I am very lucky, and I know it. I also get to work with the hilarious Mike Seely, and the ridiculously smart and scrupulous Mark Fefer (Seattle Weekly EIC), whose ever poignant idea-bounced check “Why do I care?” now haunts me at the computer.

And for this, I get an award? Sweet.

I’m celebrating with a bitter brandy (brandy, Averno, and orgeat–I just made that up), and I’m going to go eat the food of one of my favorite chefs.

And I’m eating one of these: A lemon cupcake from Trophy Cupcakes and Party, where I’ve been helping run operations since October. Maybe you’ve seen us on Martha…..

Hey, don’t step on any of these names…

Yeah, that’s right, I make my living from booze and cupcakes. Fuck you and take that, Carrie Bradshaw.